The non-quarterback the Denver Broncos may covet most
Which player is the non-quarterback the Denver Broncos covet the most? There may be one player who stands out among the rest…
The Denver Broncos have made no secret about their interest in the ‘big four’ quarterbacks in the 2018 NFL Draft: Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, and Josh Allen.
But what about every other position on the field?
The Broncos have brought Mayfield, Rosen, and Allen in for official pre-draft visits, and they visited Darnold for a private workout in Los Angeles, but what other consensus first round picks have graced the halls of the team facility?
The answer?
Not many.
Outside of the quarterback position, the Broncos have been very discrete with their interest in other potential top draft choices, other than one player who is considered a top 12 player by most in this year’s draft class.
That player is none other than Vita Vea, a defensive lineman from Washington.
Vea has understandably generated a ton of pre-draft interest. He’s a 6-foot-4, 347 pound mammoth defensive tackle with a ton of versatility to move around the formation, athleticism, and insane strength.
His abilities are so rare, he’s drawn some comparisons to the great Haloti Ngata, comparisons which are otherwise blasphemous if not legitimate.
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Vea isn’t a finished product, but imagining him as the nose tackle in Denver’s defense with Bill Kollar teaching him the nuances of the position?
Well that’s an exciting prospect.
The Broncos brought Vea in for an official visit, and according to my list of 27 players, he’s the only one I would consider taking in the top 15 outside of Baker Mayfield and Josh Rosen.
That doesn’t mean the Broncos have no interest in other players who will be picked in the top 10-15 selections. It may simply mean that they gathered all the information they needed at pro days, the Senior Bowl, or the Scouting Combine.
But the fact that the Broncos have been linked to trading down with a team like the Buffalo Bills makes me wonder if Vea isn’t one of their most coveted players after all.
If the Broncos were able to come away from the first round of this year’s draft with Vea and a player like UTEP offensive guard Will Hernandez, they may just come away with the two best interior players in this draft on either side of the football.
That’s an interesting prospect as we enter draft week, and as the Broncos prepare for the biggest draft since John Elway’s first with the team in 2011.